Vent-plug for casks or barrels.



Patented 1an. 22, mmf

T L WASSN VENT PLUG FDR UASKS 0R BBRELS. (Apliction med .rune s, 1900.)

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THOMAS LITTLE WASSON, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK.

VENTBPLUG FOR CASKS OR BARRELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 666,292, dated January22, 1901.

Application filed June 9, 1900. Serial No. 19,721.' (No model.)

To all whom t may concern/.-

Be it known that LTHoMAs LITTLE WAssoN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVent-Plugs for Oasks or Barrels, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable those skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and 'use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying draw ings, forming a part of this specification.

The invention relates to improvements in vent-plugs of th at classconsisting,essentially, of a spile having a passage controlled by avalve and of an eduction-tube adapted to be passed through the spile toopen the valve and to conduct the iiuid from the interior of a cask toits exterior. In many of the devices of this kind in ordinary use thevalve has a particular shape or form, so that when it becomes worn andneeds replacing` the services of a skilled workman are required to makethe repairs or a duplicate of the valve has to be secured from themanufacturer of the particular device to be mended.

One of the objects of the invention in the present instance is toprovide a device in which the valve can be repaired or replaced by theordinary layman and without sending to the manufacturer of the devicefor a new Valve.

The invention also has for its object the provision of a device that isof durable and simple construction and at the same time efficient in itspurpose.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, such as will be hereinafter fully described,pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view, partly in section andpartly in elevation, of a device embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional View of the casing of the spile. Fig. 3 is adetail view showing the annular nut for compressing the packing aroundthe eduction-tube. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the cap forclosing the air-supply chamber. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective viewshowing the valve that controls the passage through t-he spile. Fig. 6is a similar view showing the spring for holding the valve in place.Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the coupling-piece for the eductiontubeand the tubing leading from it. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing thepacking for the eduction-tube when the latter is inserted in the spile.Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the packing between the cap and thewalls of the air-chamber.

The spile A has a shape to a considerable extent like spiles in ordinaryuse. It tapers toward one end, as at A', so that it may be driven intothe bung-hole of the cask to be tapped and also that it may fitbung-holes of different diameters. Its opposite end A2 is adapted toreceive the blows of the implement ordinarily used in driving suchdevices into place. A longitudinal passage A3 eX- tends through thelength of the spile. A transverse chamber B, located in the spile nearits outer end or head, intercept-s the longitudinal passage A3. It isformed by the transverse interior walls B and B2 and the outerlongitudinal wall B3. In the walls B and B2, respectively, are theopenings B4 and B5, coincident with the longitudinal passage A3 of thespile. The chamber connects with the exterior of the spile by thepassage B6 in the offset B7, which has its periphery screwthreaded toreceive the capBB. The latter has a bulbed lug B9, and leading throughthe same to the interior of the cap is the passage B10. Inter-posedbetween the end of the offset and the cap is the washer B11 to make theconnection air-tight. To prevent the acci.- dental closing of thepassage B10, there is a lug B12 projecting from the inner side of thecap through the washer, and it has a passage B13, coincident with thepassage B10. A flexible tubing B11 leads from a source of com- 95pressed air and is attached to the bulbed lug B9. To permit the passageof the compressed air introduced into the chamber B to the interior ofthe inner end of the spile, a by-pass/ B15 is formed in the wall B2.

IOO

A valve mechanism is provided for controlling the longitudinal passageA5 through the spile. In the chamber B is a rectangularshaped piece ofrubber C, held at one end against the Wall by the U-shaped spring C',which is compressed between the rubber and the Wall The member of thespring pressing against the rubber is provided with a lug C2, thatengages with the recess (l3 in the rubber, and thereby holds the lattermore firmly in place. This rubber forms a flapvalve, and normally, owingto its elasticity and the pressure of the air Within the chamber B, isseated over the opening B", as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, andcloses the longitudinal passage against. egress through the same of thefluid contained in the cask. As the valve is secured only atone end bythe spring C, its free end can be readily turned down over the edge ofthe spring, as shown in full lines in Fig. l, to open the passage. Aseat Cl is formed in the wall B2 to receive the free end of the valvewhen the latter is turned back. The dimensions ofthe free end of thevalve are such that when it is turned back the compressed air from thetubing B14 can pass its edges into that part of the chamber B farthestfrom the side to which the said tubing is attached.

An eduction-tube D is provided for drawing olf the contents of the caskthrough the spile. Its diameter is such that it can be readily passedthrough the openings B4 and B5 in the transverse walls B and B2,respectively. Its entering end is bluntly tapered and has openings D'therein, through which liquid can readily pass. Its outer end isprovided With a stop-cock D2, and the shell of the latter is externallyscrew-threaded, as at D2, and has turned thereon the couplingpiece D4.Tubing D5 is attached to the coupling-piece and leads to the place wherethe liquid is to be used. lVhen the eductiontube is in the spile, theescape of the liquid or compressed air is prevented by the packing D,placed in the chamber D7 in the outer end of the spile. Into the outerend of this chamber, which is screw-threaded for the purpose, is turnedthe annular nut D8, by means of which the packing can be compressed inthe chamber and around the eduction-tube.

The operation of the device is as follows: The spile is driven into thebung-hole of the cask in the usual manner. The egress of the liquid inthe cask through the spile will be prevented by the .valve C, whichnormally closes the opening Bl in the Wall B. NVhen it is desired todraw olif the contents of the cask, the eduction-tu be is forced throughthe spile to the interior of the cask. In its passage through the spilethe entering end ofthe tu be forces the valve C aside. IVhile the tubeis being inserted and before it is connected with the tubing forcarrying olf the liquid, the passage through the same can be closed bythe stop-cock D2. After the ed notion-tube has been adjusted it issecured in place by turning the nut D8 into the chamber D7, and therebycompressing the packing D6.

Air under pressure is ntrod uced into the cask by means of the flexibletubing B1 and the intervening mechanism for forcing the liquid throughthe eduction-tube and also for replacing the liquid that has beenwithdrawn. It is to be observed that the diameter of the eduction-tubeis less than the interior dialneter of the inner end of the spile, sothat the air can enter the cask freely after it has passed through theby-pass 315. It is obvious that instead of the by-pass B15 the openingB5 in the Wall B2 can be made larger than the eduction-tube, so that thecompressed air can pass through said opening around the tube into theinner end of the spile.

Vhen the valve G becomes Worn,.by removing the cap B8 it can be readilyremoved, and as the form of the valve is very simple a new one can beeasily shaped from an ordinary piece of sheet-rubber and used to replacethe Worn-out valve.

While the hereinbefore-described embodiment of the invention is thepreferred one, yet it can be departed from to a considerable extentWithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

l. In a vent, a sple having a longitudinal passage through the same, atransverse wall provided with an opening coincident with said passage, aremovable valve of elastic material controlling said opening, aremovablespring 'for pressing one end of said valve against said Wall to hold thesame in place, and an eduction-tu be adapted to be inserted in saidspile to open said valve.

2. In a vent, a spile having a longitudinal passage through the same, atransverse airchamber, having an exterior opening, intercepting saidpassage with its walls provided with openings coincident with saidpassage, means for closing the exterior opening of said chamber, meansfor introducing air under pressureinto said cham ber, a removable valveof elastic material located in said chamber and controlling saidpassage, a removable spring for pressing one end of said valve against awall of saidchamber to hold the same in place, and aneduction-tubeadapted to be inserted in said longitudinal passage to opensaid valve.

3. In avent,aspile havingapassagethrough the same, a Wall intercept-ingsaid passage and provided with an opening coincident with said passage,a removable valve of flexible material controlling said opening, a U-shaped IIO spring for holding said valve in place, and an eduetion-tubeadapted to be inserted in said spile to open said valve.

4L. In a venta spile having a passage through the same, a Wallnteleepting lsaid passage and provided with an opening coincident withsaid passage, a removable valve of flexible material controlling saidopening, a U shaped spring having a lug to engage With said valve andfor holding the latter in place, and an Io eduetion-tube adapted to beinserted in said spile to open said valve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

THOMAS LITTLE WASSON. Witnesses:

ANDREW WAssoN, JOSEPH F. EGAN.

